Tri-county COVID death toll rises to 97
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Oct. 26—ELIZABETHTOWN — Local health departments reported the COVID-related deaths of three residents Monday, bringing the coronavirus death toll in the tri-county area to 97.
Two of the fatalities were posted by the Essex County Health Department, who shared that one of the individuals was a fully vaccinated resident of the Essex Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Elizabethtown.
"The other person was partially vaccinated," ECHD Program Coordinator Andrea Whitmarsh said in the update. "Both were hospitalized at the time of death and pre-existing conditions putting them at increased risk for COVID complications."
The third person, a Clinton County resident, passed away at University of Vermont Health Network, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital over the weekend, Clinton County Health Department Principal Public Health Educator Molly Flynn said.
CLUSTER OF CASES
ECHD announced last week that a cluster of COVID cases had emerged at the Essex Center, which was the site of a deadly outbreak from August to October 2020.
More than 100 Essex Center residents, staff and contacts of staff tested positive; 16 COVID-related deaths were reported among residents.
According to ECHD, as of Monday, the latest cluster had grown to include 17 people: 14 residents, including two who were hospitalized and the one who passed away, as well as three staff members, Whitmarsh said.
Jeff Jacomowitz — a spokesperson for Centers Health Care, which owns the Essex Center — has said contact tracing revealed that a positive resident was possibly exposed during a recent hospitalization.
He said the Elizabethtown facility has been conducting weekly COVID testing and that residents positive for the coronavirus are being quarantined in a separate wing and cared for there by dedicated, fully vaccinated staff until they recover.
NEW CASES
More than 210 new cases have been reported in the three counties since Thursday.
ECHD posted 52 new cases and an active total of 115.
CCHD announced that 104 additional lab-confirmed cases were discovered. As of Monday, 165 county residents were in isolation and 349 were in precautionary quarantine.
Franklin County Public Health shared 59 new cases since Thursday. Of 151 active cases, 15 were among Bare Hill Correctional Facility inmates. A total of 301 county residents were in either isolation or quarantine.
The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's Health Services and Emergency Operations Center said three new cases were reported in Akwesasne's southern portion over the weekend. Out of seven active cases, two were hospitalized. An additional 12 people were in quarantine.
HIGHEST AVERAGE POSITIVITY
According to state-posted figures up-to-date as of Sunday, the seven-county North Country region placed second for positivity rate and new cases per 100,000 people that day with 5.6% and 31.5, respectively.
But the region had the highest positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average at 4.8% as well as the highest number of new cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day rolling average, at 41.6, more than double the statewide numbers.
As of Sunday, the North Country had 88 hospitalized COVID patients, 17 of whom were in the intensive care unit.
CVPH Sr. Marketing and Communications Specialist Chris Blake said the Plattsburgh hospital had 13 COVID patients Monday, one of whom was in the ICU.
GET TESTED, VACCINATED
Testing is available throughout the tri-county area.
Go to tinyurl.com/uaa2tmcc to find a testing site near you anywhere in New York State.
All residents age 12 or older are currently eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Information on where to get vaccinated is available at vaccines.gov and listed on page A7.
Email Cara Chapman:
Twitter: @PPR_carachapman
